Pronounce aw sound

The entire tongue is pushed back and kept low during the pronunciation of the 'aw sound' /ɔ/ (the sound in the word 'dog'. The bottom side teeth can be felt alongside the front of the tongue during the sound.

How to pronounce the 'aw sound' /ɔ/

'aw sound' illustration

The entire tongue is pushed back and kept low during the pronunciation of the 'aw sound' /ɔ/. The bottom side teeth can be felt alongside the front of the tongue during the sound. The back of the tongue has only a slight rounding upward at the very rear of the mouth. The lips are made into an oval shape, and may stick slightly outward.

The North American 'aw sound' /ɔ/ is one of the sounds with the greatest variation in pronunciation even within the continent. Some regions of the United States do not consider this to be a different sound from the 'short o' /ɑ/. However, in many regions of the country it is a unique sound; therefore it is described separately.

Listen to the 'aw sound'

Pronuncian: American English Pronunciation

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